Hydraulic chair.



No. 629,037.v Patented luly I8, i899.

u F. KUENIGKRAMER.

HYDRAULIC CHAIR.

(Application led Nov. 7, 189B.)

(No Model.)

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"FREDERICK KOENIGKRAMER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ON- IIALF TO FRANK KOENIGKRAMER, OF SAME PLACE.

HYDRAULIC CHAIR.

-srncrrrmvrroiv forming part of Letters Patent No. 629,037, daten .Tiny 1e, 18'99'.

Application filed November 7, 1898. Serial No. 695.661. (No model.)

draulic Chairs, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to what are known as hydraulic chairs, which are adapted to be raised and lowered, reclined, and revolved.

The object of my invention is'to provide simple and convenient mechanism for producing these functions so combined as to be operated by means of a single hand-lever. It also forms a useful elevating device.

' The features of my invention are more fully set forth in the description of the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which- Fignre lV is a perspective view of a hydraulic chair. Fig. 2 is a central vertical section through the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a central vertical section at right angles to Fig. 2. Fig. 4; is a top plan view of the operating mechanism with theI chair removed. Fig. 5 is a bottomplan view of the cylinder-head. Fig. G is a perspective view ol the upper face of the plunger-head. Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the two-part crank-sleeve.

`A represents the pedestal, and B the chair, provided with the usual seat l, apron 2, and back 3. The apron is hinged to the sliding rod C by means of a link-lever or other suitable means, and the apron is hinged by means of the chair-arms to the reclining back, which in turn is hinged to the seat. Vhen the sliding rod is unlocked, the movable chair parts or any of them are grasped by the operator and the chair reclined to any desired position, the sliding rod sliding longitudinally in the bearings in the wall of the movable cylinder to allow this reclining movement. The pedestal is provided with a stationary cylinder D, which supports the following mechansms:

E represents a movable cylinder which contains the oil P. The upper part of this cylinder forms a housing F, in which the operating mechanism is mounted, and the chair is supported vupon the flange G of this cylinder. Within this housing are journaled the sliding rod C and a friction-plate a, preferably of yoke form, pivoted at one end to a rod b', supported by the housing. The other end is supported by the spring a', so as to be forced normally upward against the sliding rod to normally lock the chair in any desired reclining position. Within this housing is j ournaled an operating-lever H,provided withA a two-part sleeve I J, to be later described. Upon the sleeve vI is formed a cam-lug b, which is brought by the rotation of the handlever into engagelnent with a lug b" on friction-plate a to deflect the'same and allow the chair to be adjusted to any desired reclined position. The lug on the yoke could be dispensed with; but it allows the slightest possible movement of the lever when the lugs are engaged to release the slide-rod so the chair can be reclined. So, also, in the movement of the lever from one side to the other the defleotionof the plate is practically instantaneous, and the slide-rod is not dis- -With lever-arms e e, between which is pivoted a connecting-rod K, which is connected to a piston-rod K', which passes through the head L of the movable cylinder and is provided with a piston-head M. Valves f g are seated, respectively, in said cylinder-head and piston-head and adapted to pass the fluid me- 'dium in a downward direction only. From this cylinder-head depends a pin h, cut away at its lower end t'. A slot z" is also cutin the piston-rod K. The purpose of these cuts in the pin and piston-rod is to escape the oil from the stationary cylinder into the movable cylinder, as will bedescribed in the mode of operation. From the bottom of the movable- IOO cylinder head is depended a lock-plate N, pivoted thereto in such a way as to admit of a slight lateral movement beyond the periphery of the movable-cylinderhead. Upon the upper face of the piston-head is a liange O, provided with a slight bevel adapted to engage the inside of the locking plate or lug N to throw said lug out against ,the inner wall of the stationary cylinder when the piston-head is fully retracted, and so lock the chair against rotary movement.

7c represents a coil-spring, one end of which is'wrapped around and secured to the sleeve J and the other end is. attached to the housing. This spring strains the piston-rod normally upward and retracts the same to its upward position during the pumping operation.

Mode of operation: The oil or other fluid medium is placed, primarily, in the movable cylinder E,which constitutes the oil-reservoir, and it works its way down into the stationary cylinder and between the parts th rough valves f g. Vhen the operating-lever is rocked in one direction, the fixed sleeve I is rotated until the shoulder c strikes the shoulder d of the loose sleeve. Further movement of the lever in the same'direction then moves the two-part sleeve together to reciprocate the piston rod K. In practice the pumping stroke is short, say, three-quarters of an inch. The first movement of the pumping-lever from the center downward presses the pistonhead downward upon the oil contained in the stationary cylinder and raises the movable cylinder and supported chair, the oil meanwhile passing through the Valve finto the space formed in the stationary cylinder7 between the movable-cylinder head and piston. The spring 7c then exerts pressure in an upward direction and retracts the piston-rod. As this rod is raised, the oil passes from the space between the cylinder-head and piston through valve g into the stationary cylinder. It will be seen that the downward stroke of the operating-lever forces the piston-head upon the oil in the stationary cylinder, which, being non-compressible, forces the movable cylinder upward the length of the pumping stroke. The piston-head bearing upon the oil in the stationary cylinder forms a fulcru 1n to allow of this upward movement. When the piston-head is retracted, more oil flows into the stationary cylinder through the valve g, and upon the next downward stroke of the lever the movable cylinder is raised another pump-stroke length, and so on, the piston and cylinder-head maintaining the same relative positions in their vertical travel in said stationary cylinder. In order to lower the chair, it is necessary to return the oil from the stationary cylinder back into the reservoir or movable cylinder, which I accomplish bymeans of the following instrumentalities: If the pumping-lever is moved downward a distance farther than the length of the pumping-stroke, it will raise the movable cylinder a proportionate distance, and thus lift the pin h, supported by the movable cylinder-head, from its engagement through the piston-head until the cut e' is adjacent to the orifice in the piston-head, thus affording a passage for the oil to escape back through the piston-head to the position between the piston and cylinder-head, and at the same time this lifting of the cylinder beyond the length of the pumping stroke will bring the cylinder-head adjacent to the cut i' in the piston-rodK, allowing the oil to pass between the orifice in the cylinder-head through which the piston-rod passes and the cut or groove in said rod. Thus this final movement of the pumping-lever opens a passage from the stationary cylinder through the piston-head and movable-cylinder head into the reservoir, and the weight of the chair forces the oil through said passage and so allowsthe chair to be lowered. The distance between the lower termination of the cut i and the face of lthe cylinder-head and the distance between the upper termination of the cut 'L' and the upper .face of the piston-head should be practically the same, for they determine the length of thepumpin g stroke, for the reason that the least lifting of the movable cylinder beyond these points opens the passage'for returning the oil to the reservoir. It will be seen that the movable cylinder and its supported chair are also revoluble in the stationary cylinder, the bearing of the pistonhead on the oil in the stationary cylinder forniing the vertical support or journal, and also that the chair may be revolved at any stage of its vertical travel. For the purpose of illustration say the chair has just been raised to the desired vertical position. It is then revolved to its desired adjustment, the lever is then thrown in the reverse direction to its extreme movement or until the clutch-shoulder c' has moved far enough in the reverse direction to engage the shoulder d of the loose sleeve, which retracts to its utmost the pistonhead, bringing the bevel on the flange O into engagement with the pivoted lock-plate N on the bottom of the movable-cylinder head, swinging it laterally beyond the periphery of the cylinder-head su fiicient to clamp the movable cylinder to the stationary cylinder.

It is very frequently desired to revolve the chair to different positions, and to facilitate this operation I provide the following instrumentalities: On the piston-rod I provide a lug Z, adapted to be engaged by the lug b on the fixed sleeve. The lug Z) is preferably placed in such relation to its sleeve that a slight movement from the Locking position of the lever last described toward the center will engage the lug Z, raising the chair just su iiiciently to disen gage the lock-plate N, and thus allow the chair to be revolved. is placed in such relation to the lever that it will engage lug b on the yoke-plate at about the central position of the lever. When the Lugb- IOO IIO

eaaoe'? A Y a chair is locked against revolution, the lever will occupy a position to the extreme right of the position shown in Fig. 2. Aslight movement toward the center will first engage lug b with lug Z, releasing the locking-plates O N and allowing the chair to be revolved. A little further movement in the same direction will engage lugs b and b", allowing the chair to be re'clined. If this lug Zwere not employed, it would simply necessitate the swinging of the lever its full movement back to the pumping position in order to unlock the plate N-that is, the fixed sleeve would have to be revolved until the shoulder c would strike the shoulder (l, as in the pumping operation, which would release the lock. The parts are preferably so arranged that the lug Z9 will engage the lug b on the friction-plate a at the central position of the lever movement, releasing the sliding rod and allowing the chair to be reclined. This arrangement of parts, however, simply relates to the convenience of operation and may be varied so that the relative movements of the chair will be effected otherwise than in the order here described. y

rlhe method of raising and lowering the Y chair in which the piston-head forms the ful- Yss crum and reciprocates between the two cylinder-heads I believe is novel with me.

If desired, the sleeves may be omitted from the lever, the lever itself eccentrically connected to the piston-rod, a lug formed on the lever adapted to trip the friction-plate, similar to the lug on the fixed sleeve, and the lever will still accomplish the several functions at different points of the movement, whereby the elevating, lowering, and locking devices may be independently actuated, and I do not wish to be limited to the particular form of lever mechanism shown and described in the mode of operation, except where made specific elements of the claims.

I do'not broadly claim the particular sliding lock mechanism herein shown, as that is made the subject-matter of a companion application for a patent on simple revolving and reclining chair mechanism tiled of an even date herewith, and it is only claimed herein in combination with the other features peculiar to this form of hydraulic chairs.

The mechanisms herein shown and described can be produced cheaper than other forms hitherto used, both on account of their simplicity and the saving of material.

The convenience and effectiveness of the operation are manifestly a considerable improvement over older forms.

Having described my invention, I claiml.. In a hydraulic chair the combination oi a pedestal, a stationary cylinder and its head, supported thereon, a movable cylinder. and its head mounted in said stationary cylinder, a chair supported on said movable cylinder, a piston rod and head mounted in said cylinders and adapted to reciprocate between the movable and stationary cylinder heads, lever mechanism mounted in the upper part of the a pedestal, a stationary cylinder supported therein, a movable cylinder and its head mounted in the stationary cylinder, a piston head and rod, lever mechanism connected to said rod, the said rod passing through the movable-cylinder head, and valve mechanism located respectively in the piston-head and movable-cylinder head, adapted to pass the medium from the movable to the stationary cylinder during the pumping operation and from the stationary to the movable cylinder for lowering the ychair, substantially asI specified.

3. In a hydraulic elevator the combination of a stationary cylinder, a movable cylinder mounted therein, heads formed in the bottom of said cylinder, a piston-head supported in said stationary cylinder under the moivablecylinder head, a piston-rod connected to said pistou and passing through said movable-cylinder head, valve mechanism mounted in said movable-cylinder and piston heads adapted to pass the medium downward, devices constructed and arranged to return the medium from the stationary to the movable cylinder at one end of the lever movement, and lever mechanism mounted in the movable cylinder adapted to reciprocate the rod whereby the device may be elevated and lowered, substan-v tially as specified.

4c. In a hydraulic elevator the combination of a movable cylinder and its head, a stationary cylinder and its head supporting said movable cylinder, a piston-head journaled in the stationary cylinder under the movablecylinder head, a piston-rod passing through said head and connected to said piston, lever mechanism mounted in the movable cylinder connected to the piston-rod and adapted to reciprocate the same,valve mechanism mounted in said piston and movable-cylinder head adapted to transmit the medium downward, and devices constructed and arranged. when the movable cylinder is raised beyond a predetermined interval constituting the pump- `ing stroke, to return the medium from the 'inder head, a piston-rod connected to said piston-head tapping through the cylinderhead, a tripping-lug and locking-plate attached respectively to said piston-head and cylinder-head, and a lever mounted in the movable cylinder connected to the piston-rod loo" IIO

adapted to reciprocate the same to clamp and unclamp the said cylinders, substantially as specified.

6. In a hydraulic chair, the combination of a pedestal, a stationary cylinder supported thereon, a movable cylinder and its head mounted in said stationary cylinder, a piston f head and rod located in the stationary cylinder under the movable-cylinder head, a tripping-lug and locking-plate attached respectively to the opposing faces of said pistonhead and movable cylinder head, valves mounted in said head, a lever mounted in said movable cylinder adapted to he oscillated, and connections between said pistonrod and levei1 adapted to be actuated by the oscillation ot' said lever to reciprocate said rod and to trip said locking mechanism, substantially as specified.

7. In a hydraulic elevator the combination of a stationary cylinder and head, a movable cylinder and head mounted therein, a piston head and rod located in the stationary cylinder under the movable-cylinder head, valve mechanisms in said movable-cylinder and piston heads, a lever mounted in the movable cylinder, a loose sleeve mounted thereon and connected to said piston-rod, a iXed sleeve attached to said lever and adapted to engage said loose sleeve at one end of the lever movement to reciprocate said piston-rod, substantially as specified.

8. In a hydraulic elevator the combination ot' a stationary cylinder and head, a movable cylinder and head mounted therein, a piston `head and rod located in the stationary cylinder under the movable-cylinder head, valve mechanisms in said piston and movable-cylinder heads, adapted to pass the medium downward, a lever mounted in the movable cylinder, a spring-controlled loose sleeve mounted thereon, and connected to said piston-rod, a sleeve aiiixed to said lever, adapted to engage said loose sleeve at one end of the lever movement, and devices constructed and arranged to return the medium from the stationary to the movable cylinder at one end of the lever movement, substantially as specified;

9. In a hydraulic chair the combination of a stationary cylinder and head, a movable cylinder and head mounted therein, a piston head and rod located in the stationary cylinder under the movable cylinder, valves mounted in said` heads, locking and trip mechanisms attached to the opposing faces of said piston and movable-cylinder heads, a lever mounted in the movable cylinder, a loose sleeve mounted on said lever and connected to said pistonrod, a fixed sleeve attached to said lever and adapted to engage said loose sleeve at opposite ends of the lever movement, wheleby the piston-rod may be reciprocated and the locking devices actuated at one of the end movements of said lever, substantially as specified.

l0. In a hydraulic elevator in combination' with mechanisms adapted to lock the movable portion of the device in a reclined and revolved position,elevating mechanism consisting of a stationary cylinder and head, a movable cylinder and head located therein, a piston head and rod located in the stationary cylinder, valves mounted in the movable-cylinder head and piston-head adapted to pass the medium downward, devices adapted to transmit the medium upward at one of the end movements of the piston-rod, an oscillating lever mounted in the movable cylinder, a loose sleeve mounted thereon and connected to said piston-rod, a sleeve aixed to said lever,and clutches formed on said sleeves adapted to interlock at opposite ends of the lever movement, whereby the elevating mechanism and the locking devices are actuated independently at different points of said lever movement, substantially as specified.

l l. In a hydraulic elevator the combination of a stationary cylinder, a movable cylinder located therein, a piston head and rod located in the stationary cylinder under the movable cylinder, an oscillating lever mounted in said movable cylinder, a loose sleeve mounted thereon and connected to said piston-rod, a sleeve affixed to said lever, and clutches formed on said sleeves adapted to engage at opposite ends of said lever movement, substantially as specified.

l2. In a hydraulic elevator the combination of a movable and stationary cylinder and heads, the movable cylinder mounted in the stationary cylinder, a piston head and rod located between the cylinder-heads, valves, devices for locking the reclining and revolving mechanisms, a lever mountedin said movable cylinder, a spring controlled loose sleeve mounted thereon and connected to said pistonrod, a sleeve affixed to said lever, a lug formed thereon adapted to engage the mechanism for locking the device againstincli nation,clutch es formed on said sleeves adapted to engage at different points of the lever movement, and a tri ppin g-shoulder formed on said piston-rod adapted to loe engaged by the tripping-lug on the lixed sleeve, whereby the piston-rod, locking and tripping devices may be independently actuated by the operation of a single lever, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand. I

FREDERICK KOEN IGKRAMER. Vitnesses:

OLIVER B. KAISER, W. R. Woon.

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